St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-22
A SENSATIONAL ACCIDENT.
Rochester Shaken Up by a Series
of Explosions.

of Explosions.
Special to the Globe
ROCHESTER, Dec. 21.-JuSt before $3.50
o'clock this afternoon an explosion of
gas took place at the Jefferson and
Clinton mills, on Mill street, in this
city, and they were speedily enveloped
in flames. The fire department was
summonedand soon after general alarm
was turned in. Before the department
had reached the station at the corner of
Mill and Platt streets the entire city
was alarmed and shaken by number
of explosions. Immediately following
huge clouds of smoke arose from half a
dozen points on Mill street and Platt
street, and flames burst from the WIN
dOwS of the Clinton mill just north of
the Woodbury. Engine company's build
ing on Mill street. The flames soon
spread to the Washington mill, which
adjOins the Clinton, and before anything
could be done to prevent the spread of
d Whitney's mill was also in
flames. While the firemen were laying
line of hose to the burning buildings
half dozen manholes, which had been
covered with ice and snow, blew up in
Mill street. Thousands of people had
been attracted by the explosion, and as
they rushed through State and Platt
streets to the scene of the fire, they
were brought to halt by other explO-
sions in Platt and State streets and
thrown into confusion. They fled in
every direction, but wherever they went
they met with repetition of the same
scene. The explosions continued at
such frequent intervals that there was
No falling whom tho hnrrOrc Ixynuld aaaco
The sidewalk of the old furnace on
Platt street, between State and Mill,
was blown up, but fortunately no one
was injured. The building was imme-
diately fired, however, and the flames
issued from half dozen holes in State
street, where the pavement had been
blown up. By $3.50 o'clock the fire
was practically under control as far
as the mills were concerned, but the
sewer mains were sending up columns
of flame at frequent intervals. EXplo-
SiOns took place in the cellars of all
buildings on Mill street. In the Con-
greSS Hall hotel cellar one man was
hurt. Along the other streets adjacent
to Mill explosions also took place.
Shortly after o'clock an explosion oc-
Cured near new sewer which is being
dug on Atkinson street. Two wOrkmen
were thrown violently to the ground
and one was severely bruised. Slight
explosions are reported to have Oc-
Cured on Adams and fremont streets.
There was also an explosion in Western
avenue in front of the Buffalo, Roches-
ter d Pittsburg depot. The paving
stones were thrown high in the air.
Many windows in residences were
broken near the scene of the explosion.
An inquiry at the Office of the Munich
mol (Noc Hnunlnno6 10
of the explosions. Several years ago, it
was stated, the Vacuum Oil company
RAN PIPE
from its works to those of the Municipal
Gas company in order to supply it with
naphtha. This pipe line runs along the
bed of the GeneSee valley three feet un-
der ground. At Atkinson street the
contractors were blasting carelesSly, un-
dOubtedly, and in this way the pipe was
broken. The naphtha ran down into the
outlet sewer through Canal street into
Platt, and from there into Mill street,
where it has caused this trouble. Ipre-
sumo 1900 or $4,000 gallons of naphtha
have gone into the sewers. We were in
formed that our gas was escaping on
Mill street. We sent man down there
to turn it off and he reported that he
Smelled fresh naptha. This was the
first | had heard of the escape. This
thing teaches the contractors that they
should be more careful in blasting nnder
pipes. The supply of naphtha was cut
off Immediately by the Vacuum Oil
company, and the gas was at once cut
off from our pipes.
Some almost miraculous escapes are
reported. The engineer of the Clinton
mill and two companions were standing
near the front of the mill when the eX-
raln oil tn
away. All three men were much
frightened, but were sufficiently col
lected to gather up their clothes and
escape. When the firemen arrived the
flames had obtained such a foOthold
that it was readily seen that it would be
utterly impossible to save the Clinton
mill. The next building was the JEFF
ferson mill, and to this the firemen
turned their attention. The flames had
obtained firm fOothold there, however,
and soon thin Streaks of fire were seen
darting through the windws. About
this time the front wall of the Clinton
mill fell over with a loud crash, mar
rOwly missing burying numbers of the
firemen and the spectators beneath it.
Shortly after this another gas explosion
occurred from the sewer main in front
of the mill, throwing one man ten or
twelve feet and scratching his face
severely.
The list of casualties is long one, but
only two deaths have been reported up to
IL O'clock tonight, viz: Frederick Will
son, head miller of the Whitney mill,
aged thirty years. leaving a wife and
two children, and Edward A. Webster,
who died in the city hospital.
The aggregate damage is hard to esti-
mate. The following Individual losses
ornl l-nn nCh rlfrfn mil md
tents, $4,000; insurance, $4,000; JEFF
ferson mill and contents, $50, 600; inSur-
ance, 5000; Clinton mill and contents,
$4,000; insurance, 10000. At this
writing (midnighD it is believed that
four persons are killed. The injured
will number at least twenty. Most of
them are bruised aud cut.
Tired of Faith Cure,